A Christmas gift. A New Year's gift that predetermines your life. Harry Yasno

The Valley of the White Mountain.

      It was something completely unimaginable and endless. To the right rose the immense White Mountain, behind it somewhere Switzerland, behind me was France, and ahead of me the immense and huge Ocean of snow, in the distance mountains could be seen, and beyond them must be Italy.

      «Bellissimo!» – or, how do they say it in French?

      Ecstasy filled my mind. Never before had I seen such powerful beauty! The ocean of snow seemed to slowly slide down the mountain and flow to the left. The depth of this whitish sea was a couple of kilometers, and it was not surprising, as here for thousands of years snow has been falling, which over time turns into ice.

      The silence was almost deafening. It was as if the whole world had stopped moving, frozen in time. As I stood there, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the valley, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. All the worries and stress of daily life melted away, replaced by a feeling of calm and serenity.

      I knew that I would never forget this moment. The beauty and power of the valley had left an indelible impression on my mind and soul, and I knew that I would carry it with me always.

      In the valley, a few dozen people were walking around, some of them were on skis, and some were already being carried on sleds. It was easy to see how the sheer joy and wonder of it all could overwhelm even the strongest of us.

      As I continued to watch the skiers, I noticed that some of them were wearing bright, colorful clothing. They stood out against the white snow, adding to the already vibrant scene. It was as if the valley was a canvas, and the people were the paint, adding their own unique colors and patterns to the landscape.

      Montblanc

      The mountain was entirely white – they didn’t deceive us. It majestically rose in a huge pile of snow above other mountains, cities, and countries. It was quite clear that it was impossible to move or transfer it, and it certainly wasn’t necessary to do so, so it would stand here for a very long time. Once, two Indian airplanes hit it and crashed, people died. People disappear and die here every year… many people. It was exactly here that alpinism was born, I guess that’s where its name came from.

      I stood at the peak and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. The world stretched out before me, a vast and beautiful expanse of mountains, forests, and cities. It was as if I could see everything all at once, and yet it was all so far away, so unreachable.

      But despite the beauty and majesty of the mountain, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness and emptiness. It was as if I had climbed to the top of the world, only to find that there was nothing there but snow and ice and to understand that, I had to come up here.

      And yet, even in the emptiness, there was a sense of peace and tranquility. It was as if I had left all the chaos and noise of the world behind, and had found a place of quiet contemplation and reflection.

      The thought gradually came to me: «There is nothing to do here!»

      «Yes, that’s the right thought, – it’s empty, cold, and there is nothing to breathe!» I thought and smiled, remembering the gift that I was supposed to give myself after coming down from the mountain to people.